DESCRIPTION:
Commisioned by the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics and NACA, the Douglas D-558-1 was a high-speed
jet-powered research aircraft. The D-558-1 Skytreak was designed to investigate the aerodynamic effects of
flight at transonic speeds ranging from Mach 0.75 to 0.85. To keep the design as simple as possible, the
configuration featured a straight wing and tail attached to a slender fuselage of circular cross-section.

A unique aspect of the design was its ejection system. The entire nose section of the Skystreak was
designed to detach in an emergency, and once it had slowed sufficiently, the pilot could bail-out in the
conventional way. Unlike many other early research aircraft, such as the X-1, the
D-558-1 was able to takeoff from the ground under its own power, supplied by a single Allison turbojet.
The Skystreak was also heavily instrumented for its role as a transonic research jet. Probes recording
pressure at 400 points along the airframe as well as strain guages placed throughout the wing and tail
provided data invaluable to the development of future transonic aircraft.

Although the Navy originally ordered six of the aircraft, only three were finally built. The first
aircraft set a world speed record of 640.663 mph (1,031.04 km/h) on 20 August 1947, and raised this record
to 650.796 mph (1,047.35 km/h) just five days later. This aircraft also managed to exceed Mach 1 on 29
September 1948, albeit in a 35° dive. An additional three examples were also planned, but the rapid pace
of research into high-speed flight during the late 1940s soon made the design obsolete. Instead, attention
shifted to the much more advanced and capable D-558-2 Skyrocket.

Last modified 27 September 2009

HISTORY:

First Flight

14 April 1947

CREW:

one: pilot

ESTIMATED COST:

unknown

AIRFOIL SECTIONS:

Wing Root

NACA 65-110

Wing Tip

NACA 65-110

DIMENSIONS:

Length

38.71 ft (10.88 m)

Wingspan

25.00 ft (7.62 m)

Height

12.15 ft (3.70 m)

Wing Area

150.7 ft² (14.0 m²)

Canard Area

not applicable

WEIGHTS:

Empty

unknown

Normal Takeoff

9,750 lb (4,420 kg)

Max Takeoff

10,105 lb (4,585 kg)

Fuel Capacity

internal: unknown external: unknown

Max Payload

unknown

PROPULSION:

Powerplant

one Allison J35-A-11 turbojet

Thrust

5,000 lb (22.24 kN)

PERFORMANCE:

Max Level Speed

at altitude: Mach 0.99at sea level: 650 mph (1,050 km/h), Mach 0.85

Initial Climb Rate

unknown

Service Ceiling

unknown

Range

unknown

g-Limits

unknown

KNOWN VARIANTS:

D-558-1 #1

First example built and flown, used only by the US Navy

D-558-1 #2

Second example that completed 19 flights before a fatal crash caused by an engine compressor failure

D-558-1 #3

Final aircraft built that made 78 flights for NACA before being retired on 10 June 1953

D-558-1 #4, #5, #6

Additional aircraft originally ordered but later cancelled in favor of the D-558-2